Turkey’s ruling Islamists dogged by mounting corruption claims
Allegations of government corruption are adding to public anger as the economy continues to decline.
Turkish authorities announced Monday they are expanding an ongoing investigation into allegations of human trafficking leveled against a local municipality run by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), adding to mounting public anger over endemic corruption and a weakening economy.
The municipality organized tours to Europe for people who wanted to leave the country, providing them with special visa-exempt passports in exchange for large sums of money, in what opposition lawmakers charge is a state-sponsored illegal migration scheme.
The government said it was investigating six more municipalities, including several run by opposition parties, on similar charges.
The scandal erupted in early March after it emerged that of a total 45 persons sent to Germany in September 2020 by the AKP-run Yesilyurt municipality in southeastern Turkey as part of its “project to raise environmentally conscious individuals,” only three had returned. The group had traveled on “grey” passports issued to Turkish citizens who take part in government-sponsored activities overseas.
